Laundry apparatus



June 6, 1961 A. F. WlDlGEN LAUNDRY APPARATUS 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Jan. 27, 1958 7 lbg f ATTORNEYS June 6, 1961 w 1 2,986,918

LAUNDRY APPARATUS Filed Jan. 27, 1958' 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTO 3 I Cllbefl F. w

mad 14 FM fiaoms United States Patent 2,986,918 LAUNDRY APPARATUS Albert F. Widigen, Davenport, Iowa, assignor to American Machine and Metals, Inc., East Moline, III., a corporation of Delaware Filed Jan. 27, 1958, 'Ser. No. 711,489 4 Claims. (Cl. 68-210) This invention relates to laundry apparatus, and more particularly to washing machines of the dump unloading type as used in commercial establishments.

In a dump unloading washing machine of the type involved, the cylinder is carried for movement on pivoted arms at each end of the machine. The conventional practice in such machines is to use meshing gears, one being located on the axis of one of the arms and the other on the axis of the rotatable cylinder. This practice is not completely satisfactory since the gears wear rapidly causing increased noise and also causing the loss of the correct center distance between the pitch circles of the gears. I

It is therefore desirable to use a chain drive in place of the conventional gear drive since it is quieter and is not subject to the above-mentioned wear problems of gear drives. However, in using a chain drive it is necessary to provide means for taking up the slack in the chain. This cannot be done by merely moving the sprockets apart relative to each other because this would result in a change in the effective length of the supporting arm at the end of the machine having the drive sprockets. It has been found that in order to have proper operation the effective length of the supporting or actuating arms at each end of the machine must be such that the free end of each actuating arm is aligned with the support or cutout on the casing. The referred to eifective length of each of these arms is the distance which results in the free end of the arm being properly positioned relative to the casing.

It is an object of this invention to provide means for maintaining the effective length and position of the cylinder actuating arm regardless of the distance between the axes of the drive chain sprockets.

It is also an object of this invention to provide tighten ing means which increases the distance between the axes of the drive chain sprockets while maintaining the effective length and position of the cylinder actuating arm.

It is a further object of this invention to provide an eccentric bushing upon which one end of the cylinder actuating arm is mounted for pivotal movement therewith but which is rotatable relative thereto.

More specifically, the present invention is applicable to dump unloading washing machines of the described character wherein the work agitating drum is journalled, at its opposite ends, in elevating arms which are pivotally mounted adjacent the front of the casing for swinging movement between rearwardly directed and upstanding positions thereby to dispose the work agitating cylinder in the casing and above and in front of the casing, respectively. Such a washing machine includes a casing open at the top and a hinged cover for the casing movable between open and closed positions. The actuating means for moving the cylinder includes the above-mentioned arm means and sprocket means adjacent each of the ends of the arm means at one end of the machine. The sprocket means are connected, so that the cylinder may be rotated, by a drive chain means. Means are also provided for changing the distance between the axes of the sprockets while maintaining the effective length and position of the arms means constant, so that the chain means can be tightened without affecting the operation of the arm means for moving the cylinder.

Patented June 6, 1961 "ice In another aspect of the invention, the means for changing the distance between the axes of the sprockets while maintaining the effective length and position of the arm means constant includes an eccentric bushing which pivots with said arm means while being rotatable independently thereof so that the effective length of the arms means can be kept constant when the drive chain means is tightened.

These and other objects, features and advantages of the invention will become apparent from the following detailed description and drawings which are merely exemplary.

In the drawings:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a portion of a dump unloading washing machine of the kind adapted to have the present invention embodied therein, and showing the machine in its unloading condition;

FIG. 2 is an end elevational view of part of a dump unloading washing machine embodying the present invention, and shown in condition for the performance of a washing operation, but with parts shown in crosssection;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross-sectional view of the arm mounting structure of the invention taken along the line 33 .of FIG. 2 looking in the direction of the arrows; and

FIG. 4 is an enlarged elevational view of the arm mounting with parts broken away for clarity and taken along the line 4-4 of FIG. 3 looking in the direction of the arrows.

Referring to the drawings in detail, and initially to FIG. 1 thereof, a dump unloading washing machine of the type to which the present invention relates is there generally identified by thereference numeral 10. The machine includes a casing 11 open at the top to receive a work agitating drum or cylinder 12. Drum 12 has a perforated or foraminous cylindrical wall 13 which has one or more doors 14 that can be opened to permit the loading and unloading of the drum.

In dump unloading washing machines of the type shown in FIG. 1, the work agitating drum 12 is rotated within the casing 11 during the washing operation and is displaced upwardly and forwardly out of the. open top of the casing for movement to the unloading position shown in FIG. 1 so that, when the drum is in this position with the doors facing downwardly and the doors are opened, the washed clothes will be dumped from cylinder 12 into hampers or other containers underlying the doors, thereby eliminating the need for physically lifting the clothes from the cylinder. When the cylinder is to be reloaded, it is returned to casing 11 and the doors 14- appear at the upper front quadrant of the cylinder, thereby permitting it to be easily loaded with clothes or other material to be washed.

In order to permit the bodily movment of the drum between its operative or washing position within casing 11 and its elevated and forwardly disposed dump unloading position, trunnions or stub shafts 15 extend from opposite ends of the cylinder 12 and are rotatably journalled in suitable bearings carried by elevating arms 16. These elevating arms are pivotally mounted on support blocks 17 disposed adjacent the top edge of the front wall of casing 11. The drawings only show one end of the machine since the operation of the elevating arms is the same at both ends.

The drum or cylinder 12 is rotated during a washing operation by a chain or belt drive arrangement at one end of the machine, this end being the end shown in the drawings. The drive includes a sprocket wheel 18 fixed to stab shaft 15 which, in its washing position, is located in a suitable cutout portion in casing 11, a

sprocket wheel 19 fixed to shaftztl rotatably mounted in support 17, and a chain or belt 21 drivingly connecting sprocket wheels 18 and 19. A pulley 22 is fixed to shaft 20 and an endless belt 23 runs around pulley 22 and around a pulley 24 fixed to shaft 25 of drive motor 26, thereby rotating shaft 20 and shaft 15 in response to operation of drive motor 26.

In order to etfect the desired movements of drum 12 between its position within the casing and its dump unloading position, a mechanism such as that disclosedin my copending application, Serial No. 605,583, now Patent No. 2,865,189, filed August 22, 1956, may be used. This type of mechanism generally includes a crank-wheel 27, preferably in the form of a gear wheel, which is fixed to a shaft 28 for rotation therewith and an elevating arm link 29 which is pivotally mounted at one end to elevating arm 16 spaced from the pivoting axis of the latter. The other end of elevating arm link 29 is connected to a crank pin 30 carried by crank-wheel 27 and spaced radially from shaft 28. The positions and dimensions of these elements are selected so that rotation of crankwheel 27 through 180 results in the movement of cylinder 12 between its operating position in casing 11 and its dump unloading position, in the manner set forth in said copending application.

Crank-wheel 27 may be driven by a meshing pinion 31 which itself may be driven by an electric motor (not shown), a manually operated crank (not shown) or. other suitable means in the manner described in said copending application.

The hinged cover 32 may be operated by the mechanism shown in said co-pending application which includes a cover lift link 33 pivotally connected at one end to cover 32 and operatively engaging at its other end a radial cam (not shown) secured to shaft 28. This mechanism serves to coordinate the movement of the cover 32 and cylinder 12, and also locks the cover in its closed position when cylinder 12 is in its washing position. The construction and operation of this mechanism is described in detail in my prior co-pending application, so that a complete description herein is not considered necessary. It has been found that, in a dump unloading washer of the type shown, if the chain or belt 21 is loose when cylinder 12 is moved between its operative or washing position and its dump unloading position there will be a rocking movement imparted to cylinder 12. Merely moving the sprockets 19 and 18, the first and second sprocket means respectively apart relative to each other is unsatisfactory because this would result in the eifective distance of the operating arm 16 being changed, i.e. the distance between the center of trunnion 15 and the center of the pivotal connection between arm 16 and support 17 so that trunnion 15 would not be properly positioned relative to casing 11. Therefore, means are provided for changing the distance between the axes of the sprockets 18 and 19 while maintaining the eifective length and position of arm 16 constant.

As shown best in Figs. 3 and 4, this means includes an eccentric bearing or bushing 34 having cylindrical surfaces with offset and parallel axes. This bushing has a circular bore about one axis which fits over a cylindrical extension 35 on support 17. The outer surface of bushing 34 about its other axis is eccentrically formed relative to the center of the bore and is received within a bore 36 on arm 16 to form the pivotal mounting therefor on support 17. Thus, in order to move the center of pivotal movement of arm 16 relative to the center of trunnion 15, the bushing is rotated through 180 so that either hairline 37 or hairline 38 is visible through opening 39 in cover 40. The bushing and mounting are formed so that the positions indicated by hairlines 37 and 38 are the only operative positions. The amount of movement of the pivotal axis is shown in FIG. 4 as the distance between lines x and y; at being the axis line when hairline 38 is visible through opening 39 and y being the axis line when hairline 37 is visible through said opening. Sprocket 19 is attached to shaft 20 which is rotatably mounted on support 17 as by bearings 42 and is coaxial with extension 35. In order to move sprocket 18 relative to the casing 11, the support 17 is adjustably mounted on casing 11. The adjustable mounting, in the form shown in the drawings includes elongated slots 43 in the base plate 44 of support 17. Screws or bolts 45 pass through said slots for threadingly engaging openings (not shown) in casing 11. The movement of support 17 results in the axis of sprocket 19, the first sprocket means being positioned along a predetermined line.

Thus the eccentric bushing means may be rotatable about its outer surface with respect to bore 36 of arm 16 to predetermined positions with respect to the arm as defined by the alignment of the hair lines 37 and 38 with opening 39 in cover 40. In addition, the axis of sprocket 19 mounted in support 17 may be positioned along a predetermined line so as to position the end of arm 16 with respect to casing 11 when the cylinder is in its operative position. The predetermined positions of the eccentric bushing are those in which the axes of the eccentric bushing intersect the predetermined line along which the axis of sprocket 19 can move when arm 16 is in its operative position.

Thus, in order to tighten the chain 21 without changing the position of shaft 15 relative to casing 11; screws 45 are loosened and support 17 is moved to the right (as seen in FIG. 2); the screws 45 are then tightened to hold the support in its adjusted position; cover 40 is removed and eccentric bushing 34 is rotated until hairline 38 is visible through opening 39; and then cover 40 is replaced. The rotation of bushing 34 serves to tighten the chain, while the adjustment of support 17 serves to properly position the free end of the arm relative to the cutout portion in casing 11 after bushing 34 has been rotated.

By setting the eccentric bushing into either of the predetermined positions the distance between the sprockets is varied to adjust the chain tension but the position of the arm in the operative position remains constant. This relationship can only be achieved when the defined predetermined positions are obtained. At all other positions of the eccentric bushing, arm 16 assumes different positions in the operative position. It is necessary to maintain the arm position constant since it is coupled to the means for moving the arm, namely elevating arm link 29 which in turn operates through predetermined positions by virtue of its connection to crank-wheel 27.

Although the drawings show the cover operating and drive mechanisms at one end of machine 10, it is apparent that such structure may be duplicated at the other end of the machine, especially when the cylinder 12 and the cover 32 are of considerable length and weight.

It is to be understood that the described exemplary embodiment is merely intended for the purpose of illustration, and that the principles of the invention are not to be limited thereto, except as defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of said casing movable between open and closed positions, and a work agitating cylinder movable through the open top of the casing between operative position within the latter and a dump unloading position projecting forwardly of the casing; actuating means for the cylinder comprising an arm means to move the cylinder between its operative position and its dump unloading position, first sprocket means on an axis adjacent one end of said arm means, second sprocket means on an axis adjacent the other end of said arm means, drive chain means connecting said first and second sprocket means, eccentric bushing means having cylindrical surfaces with offset and parallel axes, one axis of said eccentric bushing means being coaxial with said first sprocket means, said one end of said arm means being mounted about the other axis of said eccentric bushing means for pivotal movement with said eccentric bushing means about said one axis of said eccentric bushing means so that said cylinder can move from its operative position to its unloading position, said eccentric bushing means being rotatable relative to said arm means about said other axis to predetermined positions with respect to said arm means for changing the distance between the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said second sprocket means so as to tighten said chain, means for moving said arm means to said operative and dump unloading positions, said arm moving means having predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of said arm means, and means for positioning said axis of said first sprocket means along a predetermined line to maintain the position of said other end of said arm means constant relative to said casing when said cylinder is in said operative position regardless of the variation in spacing between the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said second sprocket means, said predetermined positions of said eccentric bushing means being those in which the axes of said eccentric bushing means intersect said predetermined line when said arm means is in said operative position.

2. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of said casing movable between open and closed positions, and a work agitating cylinder movable through the open top of the casing between operative position within the latter and a dump unloading position projecting forwardly of the casing; actuating means for the cylinder comprising an arm means to move the cylinder between its operative position and its dump unloading positions, first sprocket means on an axis adjacent one end of said arm means, second sprocket means on an axis adjacent the other end of said arm means, drive chain means connecting said first and second sprocket means, eccentric bushing means having cylindrical surfaces with offset and parallel axes, one axis of said eccentric bushing means being coaxial with said first sprocket means, said one end of said arm means being mounted about the other axis of said eccentric bushing means for pivotal movement with said eccentric bushing means about said one axis of said eccentric bushing means so that said cylinder can move from its operative position to its unloading position, said eccentric bushing means being rotatable relative to said arm means about said other axis to predetermined positions with respect to said arm means for changing the distance between the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said second sprocket means so as to tighten said chain, means for moving said arm means to said operative and dump unloading positions, said arm moving means having predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of said arm means, means for positioning said axis of said first sprocket means along a predetermined line to maintain the posi tion of said other end of said arm means constant relative to said casing when said cylinder is in said operative position regardless of the variation in spacing between the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said second sprocket means, said predetermined positions of said eccentric bushing means being those in which the axes of said eccentric bushing means intersect said predetermined line when said arm means is in said operative position, and means for indicating said predetermined positions of said eccentric bushing means.

3. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of said casing movable between open and closed positions, and a work agitating cylinder movable through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and a dump unloading position projecting forwardly of the casing; actuating means for the cylinder comprising an arm means to move the cylinder between its operative position and its dump unloading position, support means, first sprocket means mounted for rotation on said support means, second sprocket means on the axis of rotation of said cylinder, drive chain means connecting said first and second sprocket means, eccentric bushing means having cylindrical surfaces with offset and parallel axes, one axis of said eccentric bushing means on said support means being coaxial with said first sprocket means, said arm means being mounted at one end on the axis of said cylinder, the other end of said arm means being mounted about the other axis of said eccentric bushing means for pivotal movement with said eccentric bushing means about said one axis of said eccentric bushing means so that said cylinder can move from its operative position to its unloading position, said eccentric bushing means being rotatable relative to said arm means about said other axis to predetermined positions with respect to said arm means to change the distance between the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said second sprocket means so as to tighten said chain, means for moving said arm means to said operative and dump unloading positions, said arm mov ing means having predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of said arm means, and means for moving said support means to position said axis of said first sprocket means along a predetermined line to maintain the position of said other end of said arm means constant relative to the casing when said cylinder is in said operative position regardless of the variation in spacing between the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said second sprocket means, said predetermined positions of said eccentric bushing means being those in which the axes of said eccentric bushing means intersect said predetermined line when said arm means is in said operative position.

4. In a dump unloading washing machine having a casing open at the top, a hinged cover for the top of said casing movable between open and closed positions, and a work agitating cylinder movable through the open top of the casing between an operative position within the latter and a dump unloading position projecting forwardly of the casing; actuating means for the cylinder comprising an arm means to move the cylinder between its operative position and its dump unloading position, support means, first sprocket means mounted for rotation on said support means, second sprocket means on the axis of rotation of said cylinder, drive chain means connecting said first and second sprocket means, eccentric bushing means having cylindrical surfaces with oifset and parallel axes, one axis of said eccentric bushing means on said support means being coaxial with said first sprocket means, said arm means being mounted at one end on the axis of said cylinder, the other end of said arm means being mounted about the other axis of said eccentric bushing means for pivotal movement with said eccentric bushing means about said one axis of said eccentric bushing means so that said cylinder can move from its operative position to its unloading position, said eccentric bushing means being rotatable relative to said arm means about said other axis to predetermined positions with respect to said arm means to change the distance between the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said second sprocket means so as to tighten said chain, means for moving said arm means to said operative and dump unloading positions, said arm moving means having predetermined positions corresponding to the positions of said arm means, means for moving said support means to position said axis of said first sprocket means along a predetermined line to maintain the posi- 7 tion of said other end of said arm means constant'rela- Relerences Cited in the-file of this patent tiveto the casing when said cylinder is in said operative position regardless of the variation in spacing between UNITED STATES PATENTS the axis of said first sprocket means and the axis of said 306,560 Van 13 Wate Oct, 14, 1884 second sprocket means, said predetermined positions o 6 84 L892 Pfander Feb. 19, 1907 said eccentric bushing means being those in which th 912,038 Seifert Feb. 9, 1909 axes of said eccentric bushing means intersect said pre- 1,323,490 Putnam Dec. 2, 1919 determined line when said arm means is in said oper 2,420,836 Nelson May 20, 1947 tive position, and means for indicating said predeter- 2,505,958 Gi'ierson May 2, 1950 mined positions of said eccentric bushing means. 10 2,691,553 Pettigrew Oct. 12, 1954 

